1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of telephony and more particularly to interactive voice response systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer telephony integration (CTI), or simply “computer telephone,” is the use of computers to manage telephone calls. The term is commonly used in describing the computerized services of call centers, such as those that direct a phone call to the specific extension. It is also used to describe the ability to use computers to initiate and manage phone calls.
Moving beyond simple call routing, CTI systems can include Interactive Voice Response (IVR), technology configured to accept a combination of voice telephone input and touch-tone keypad selection and to provide appropriate responses in the form of voice, fax, callback, e-mail and perhaps other media. An IVR is usually part of a larger application that includes database access. Common IVR applications include: bank and stock account balances and transfers; surveys and polls; call center forwarding; simple order entry transactions; and selective information lookup. An IVR application provides pre-recorded voice responses for appropriate situations, keypad signal logic, access to relevant data, and potentially the ability to record voice input for later handling.
In many IVR applications, a caller is required to wait in order to speak with a customer service representative or to wait for a call transfer operation. The required waiting or “on-hold” duration can range from a few seconds to many minutes. To placate, entertain, or educate the caller during the waiting period, IVR systems can be configured to offer the caller the opportunity to redirect the call, play a game, or listen to music, advertisements or informative messages. Although the concept is commendable, the execution is usually lacking and can thus further degrade the caller's experience.
For example, a caller may start a game, only to be interrupted mid-game. Thus, the system can be configured to provide two disappointing options: interrupt the game and continue with the next call option or wait until the game is completed and thereby delaying transition to the next call option. Similarly, when a caller is connected to an audio stream, the systems cut into and out of the audio stream abruptly, which can lead to an unpleasant experience. It would therefore be desirable to provide an IVR system that improves upon these shortcomings to improve a caller's experience.